With just a few days to go until we depart on our six-date tour of the USA, we were joined in the bandroom on Monday 8 February by six members of the previous USA tour from 40 years ago. Pictured with the current Cory Band members and Musical Director Philip Harper are (centre from left to right): Gwyn Thomas, Graham Sheppard, Clayton McCann, Jeff Sheppard, Terry Lambert and Greg Jones, who all travelled to America in 1976, the first time Cory Band had embarked on an overseas trip.

Graham Sheppard addressed the band, showing them the itinerary from 40 years ago, immaculately preserved on typed headed paper, and also copies of some of the concert programmes. He described the excitement felt by band members of the time, and the great sense of adventure, as well as recalling one or two anecdotes.

Cory’s 2016 adventure will begin this Friday (12 Feb) as the members jet off from Heathrow to Washington, on a tour taking in Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia and North and South Carolina. The band will perform three concerts called ‘Best of British’ and three concerts called ‘A Space Odyssey’ as well as giving masterclasses and clinics and working with some other bands in the USA.
Musical Director Philip Harper commented: “It was great to welcome representatives of the last tour to our bandroom in the same week that the current tour begins. It’s remarkable that Cory hasn’t been back to the USA in 40 years, but we can’t wait to take our brand of entertainment across the pond to make new musical friends again!”